29.10.2025 | High-tech Secures History – Locomotive Transport with DoNova® PowerLash and DoQuick

Tight corners, low bridges, heavily burdened roads – and all of it in the middle of the night. Special transport drivers face new challenges with every job. During the night transport of a 66-ton locomotive, for example, every detail mattered – especially proper load securing. To ensure such a transport runs smoothly, every step is meticulously planned in advance.

For Markus Kliemenz and Gordon Krauße, drivers at the heavy haulage company Ehring from Schwarzenberg, the combination of the textile chain DoNova^®PowerLash and the ratchet load binder DoQuick has been in regular use for around half a year now – and has become indispensable.

Especially when transporting the historic mining locomotive, a great deal of focus and preparation was required to bring it safely to its destination. Even during loading the locomotive from the tracks onto the low loader, millimetre precision and utmost accuracy were essential. The historic locomotive No. 440, built in 1963 and the first of its kind from Henschel, was to be transferred to the local transport museum Mooskamp in Dortmund after several years of service elsewhere. There, for the first time since 2001, an original mining locomotive has once again found its home.

For the two drivers, replacing heavy steel chains with the lightweight high-tech textile chain DoNova^®PowerLash on their way to the museum was a real game-changer.

“The textile chain is truly worth its weight in gold – the weight savings are enormous. It’s wonderfully light and easy to handle.”

enthuses Markus Kliemenz, who is often solely responsible for load securing.

Especially in the summer heat, he’s grateful not to have to carry and handle heavy steel chains. In terms of weight, the textile chain offers up to an 85% advantage compared to steel chains, yet it’s just as strong – up to grade 12 and nominal sizes of up to 16 mm. The DoNova^®PowerLash, combined with the DoQuick ratchet load binder, which can be extended and retracted within seconds, saves valuable minutes during load securing. This gives heavy haulage drivers crucial time buffers for challenging transport routes.

Even under challenging weather conditions, the high-tech textile chain remains reliable: it is UV-, chemical-, and seawater-resistant, does not rust, and is exceptionally durable – ideal for transports across Germany and Europe.

“I was impressed right from the start.”

says Gordon Krauße, delighted with the combination of DoNova^® and DoQuick. The heavy haulage driver sums it up:

“It saves us a lot of effort untangling chains, which used to be a constant hassle with other chain and ratchet binder combinations.”

The DoNova^®PowerLash doesn’t just impress in use – it also stands out visually. Whenever Markus Kliemenz and his team travel through Germany with their loaded low loader, they often get approached about the DoNova^®:

“At rest stops, it’s happened several times that other drivers stared in disbelief at our textile chains and even wanted to take pictures.”

the special transport driver says, pleased with the attention. He adds:

“It’s a real attraction.”

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